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Windows

Submission + - Microsoft Patches 1990s-Era 'Ping of Death' (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes: "Microsoft on Tuesday issued 13 security updates that patched 22 vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, Windows, Office and other software, including one that harked back two decades to something dubbed 'Ping of Death.' While other patched vulnerabilities we more serious, one marked 'CVE-2011-1871' brought back memories for nCircle's Andrew Storms. 'This looks like the Ping of Death from the early-to-mid 1990s,' he said. 'Then, when a specially-crafted ping request was sent to a host, it caused the Windows PC to blue screen, and then reboot.' Two decades ago, the Ping of Death was used to bring down Windows PCs remotely, often as a way to show the instability of the operating system. 'People would say, 'You're stupid to put your machines on the Internet.'' said Storms. 'My suspicion is that if this catches fire and someone writes a small attack tool and releases it, you could see [Windows PCs] blue screened at your local coffee shop,' Storms said."
Advertising

Submission + - Ad Industry Failing To Regulate Itself (itworld.com)

Submitted by
jfruhlinger
jfruhlinger writes: "Fearing the interference that would arise from do-not-track regulation, the online advertising industry has promised to impose its own privacy rules. The only problem is that the rules they've agreed on aren't being imposed. For instance, the Network Advertising Initiative has a big red button that supposedly lets you opt out of ad tracking online. Which is great, except that only the big advertisers have agreed to honor this system, some of those advertisers aren't honoring it even though they've agreed to, and most people have no idea the system exists."
Network

Submission + - Handling an inherited house full of technology 3

Submitted by Dewin
Dewin writes: My father-in-law passed away earlier this year, leaving my wife as the executor of an estate including a house full of all sorts of hardware. There's a wide variety here — at least a half dozen computers and monitors (all LCDs, thankfully), mixing boards, a karaoke system, and a home networking setup with in-wall CAT5 wiring and no fewer than 3 wireless access points in addition to other networking hardware.

No one person is assigned specific items from the estate. It's a percentage share among the heirs, who are all (thankfully) on good terms with each other. Thus, we have some leeway in making decisions.

With that all in mind, we have the following questions:
  1. What's the best way to assess a value for all of the hardware in the house, and how do we determine what is worth keeping, what's worth selling, and what's just junk?
  2. Dozens of computers means dozens of harddisks, some of which probably hold interesting data either from an legal standpoint or a historical one. I'd like to find a way to aggregate all this data in one place quickly, ideally without having to look over each harddrive's contents or copying things like OS files.
  3. Is there any reason why I shouldn't just factory-reset all of the routers and reconfigure them to be in a known state (especially considering we lack the current admin passwords)? Considering I cannot get into the administrative interfaces for them currently, is there anything I should take note of first? There's nothing critical that we need running on the network that would break.
  4. I suspect the in-wall wiring is too old to support gigabit ethernet speeds, but I'd like to test (and possibly address that) if possible. Any tips?

We are on a fairly tight budget, so while purchases are an option we'd like to keep them fairly cheap and ideally something that will continue to be useful after the fact. Thanks!

Social Networks

Submission + - Syrian Hackers Deface Anonymous' Social Network (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes: "After the hacking gang Anonymous took credit for defacing Syria's Ministry of Defense website, a Syrian group retaliated on Monday by posting gruesome photos on Anonymous' embryonic social network. The defacement of AnonPlus — the site Anonymous set up last month when it was booted off Google+ — did not include the name of the group responsible. The University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, however, credited the AnonPlus defacement to the 'Syrian Electronic Army' in a message posted to Twitter. 'In response to your hacking to the website of the Syrian Ministry of Defence, the Syrian people have decided to purify the internet of [y]our pathetic website,' the defacement read."

Submission + - New Nano Batteries Smaller Than A Human Hair (techtribune.com)

Submitted by techtribune
techtribune writes: If we could take the weight of our current batteries in EV-powered cars and shrink them down a million times we could obtain gas mileages better than anyone could ever dream. The researchers at Rice university have shown off some micro or nano batteries that could revolutionize the battery industry in a few years. The new microscopic battery pack created by Rice researchers pack a lot of power in a minuscule battery pack. At only 150 nanometers in size the battery pack is hundreds times smaller and thinner than a human hair.
Data Storage

Submission + - Start-Up's 'Stone-Like' Optical Disc Lasts Forever (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes: "Start-up Millenniata and LG plan to soon release a new optical disc and read/write player that will store movies, photos or any other data forever. The data can be accessed using on any current DVD or Blu-ray player. The M-Disc can be dipped in liquid nitrogen and then boiling water without harming it. It also has a Defense Department study backing up the resiliency of its product (PDF document) compared with other leading optical disc competitors. The company would not disclose what material is used to produce the optical discs, referring to it only as a 'natural' substance that is 'stone-like.' Like DVDs and Blu-ray discs, the M-Disc platters are made up of multiple layers of material. But there is no reflective, or die, layer. Instead, during the recording process a laser 'etches' pits onto the substrate material."
Security

Submission + - AntiSec Hackers Dump Data After Hacking Police (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes: "The war between law enforcement and Anonymous continued this past weekend as hackers leaked a 10 gigabyte database of private data. They say they stole information during an attack on more than 70 small-town law enforcement agencies. The hackers, an Anonymous-affiliated group known as AntiSec, say that they hope to 'embarrass, discredit and incriminate police officers across the US,' in retaliation for ongoing arrests of Anonymous members. The hackers had already knocked many of the sheriffs' sites offline last week, but on Saturday AntiSec posted e-mail messages, passwords, social security numbers, credit card numbers as well as messages from confidential informants."
Blackberry

Submission + - RIM Helping UK Police Track Down Rioters (itworld.com)

Submitted by
jfruhlinger
jfruhlinger writes: "Protests against a police shooting in the poor London neighborhood of Tottenham escalated into rioting and looting this past weekend. Initial reports have it that the activity was coordinated not by Twitter or Facebook but by the relatively old-tech method of BlackBerry messaging. Now the official Twitter account of RIM's UK division has announced that it is "engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can," which presumalby means that it's handing over messages sent by rioters. Is BlackBerry being a responsible part of British society, or is it, in the word of one Twitter user, "snitching"?"
Cloud

Submission + - Shagbook: Facebook Should Not Be A Trademark (zdnet.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Facebook is known for going after any company that uses the word “book” in its name, having already filed suit against TeachBook.com, FacebookOfSex.com, and most recently UK adult dating website Shagbook.com. Shagbook is accusing Facebook of trademark bullying, says the term facebook is generic, and is even arguing that Facebook’s trademark should never have been granted.
Security

Submission + - Will lazy, careless computers save us from us? (motherboard.tv)

Submitted by HansonMB
HansonMB writes: Can lazy machines cruising a synthetic internet defend against sloppy humans?

Researchers at the University of Southern California led by Jim Blythe hope so. They’ve devised a system to test computer-security networks by having machines themselves mimic man’s mistakes. These “seemingly innocuous actions” – users downloading files, or IT personnel ditching security features that can bog down machines – can leave networks exposed to nefarious activity.
Android

Submission + - Latest Android Flaw Facilitates Phishing Attacks (itproportal.com)

Submitted by hypnosec
hypnosec writes: A newly discovered flaw in Google’s Android mobile operating system could allow hackers to launch phishing attacks in order to steal banking credentials. Researchers at security firm Trustwave have revealed that the flaw allows hackers to create a fake log-in page which can be used to steal user names and passwords when users visit a banking website. According to the company, the flaw resides in Android’s ability to put forward one application to the front of active processes instead of giving out alerts at the notification bars. The company also said that flaw could be exploited to serve pop-up ads.

Submission + - Housing Crash Getting Worse in U.S.? (carneyproperties.com)

Submitted by
katelyndunn
katelyndunn writes: "An article just recently released by Market Watch states that the housing crash is showing signs of getting worse, depending of course on where you live. However, in some areas, like our very own SWFL area that were hit hardest a few years back, are showing signs that the area is recovering."

Submission + - World's first Cybernetic Athlete to Compete (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by
Tufriast
Tufriast writes: "The world's first mechanically augmented athlete, Oscar Pistorius, will now compete against unaugmented peers on behalf South Africa. He'll be running in the 400m and 4x400m relay at the World Athletics 2011 Championships. Pistorius, a double leg amputee, has had special leg blades crafted for him that allow him to compete against his peers. He's fought hard to prove the provide no advantage, and according to IAAF they do not. This should be a very interesting race to watch. His nickname: The Blade Runner."
Cloud

Submission + - Google also passes on European data to US authorit (h-online.com)

Submitted by suraj.sun
suraj.sun writes: Google also passes on European data to US authorities:

Google is making data that is stored in its European data centres accessible to authorities in the United States. When asked by the German language WirtschaftsWoche magazine, a company spokesperson saidGerman language that Google has passed on European user data to US intelligence services on several occasions.

US laws such as the Patriot Act require companies based in the country to make even data that is stored abroad accessible to the US authorities. In June, Microsoft had already admitted passing on European customer data from its Office 365 cloud service to US government departments.

H-online: http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Google-also-passes-on-European-data-to-US-authorities-1319434.html
Government

Submission + - North Korea Training Hackers To Hack Online Games (itproportal.com)

Submitted by hypnosec
hypnosec writes: New reports suggest that the North Korean government is encouraging its young hackers to penetrate into the arch enemy South Korea’s popular online gaming websites and find loopholes to collect points convertible to cash in abundance. According to experts, the North Korean government has taken the initiative as a part of their desperate attempt to recover their gradually falling economy in whatever way possible. It has been often covered by the media, especially those in the West, how the North Korean establishment has been spending a hefty amount in training an army of hackers and computer programmers despite its economic downfall.

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